Fernando Pessoa, a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator often referred to as one of the 20th century’s most significant literary figures, once wrote: Look, there’s no metaphysics on earth like chocolates. Chocolate is one of those heavenly foods almost everyone carries on either a secret or an open love affair with. Much has been written on the subject of chocolate. Tens of thousands of recipes have been developed to harness the flavor, to enhance other ingredients by making the combination the human equivalent of fabled celestial fare.

It is all too easy to become a chocoholic; taste a high quality chocolate once and you will forever be under its spell! Writer, journalist and psychoanalysis researcher Judith Viorst said: Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands – and then eat just one of the pieces. I can personally attest that such a feat requires almost herculean will in resisting the temptation to eat them all!

In our everlasting quest to bring you delicious recipes, we have found the following mouthwatering masterpiece in Jacqueline Bellefontaine‘s What’s Cooking Chocolate:

Chocolate and Raspberry Vacherin

A vacherin is made of layers of crisp meringue sandwiched together with fruit and cream. It makes a fabulous dessert for special occasions.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

3 egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 ounce dark chocolate, grated

Filling

6 ounces dark chocolate

2 cups whipped cream

2 cups fresh raspberries

a little melted chocolate to decorate

Directions

Draw three rectangles, 4 by 10 inches, on sheets of parchment paper and place on 2 cookie sheets.

Beat the eggs whites in a mixing bowl until standing in soft peaks, then gradually beat in half the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is very stiff and glossy.

Carefully fold in the rest of the sugar, the cornstarch and grated chocolate with a metal spoon or spatula.

Spoon the meringue mixture into a pastry bag long fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe lines across the rectangles.

Bake in a preheated oven at 275 Ffor 1 1/2 hours changing the positions of the cookie sheets, halfway through. Without opening the oven door. turn off the oven and leave the the meringues until they are completely cold, then peel away the paper.

To make the filling, melt the chocolate and spray it over 2 0f the meringue layers. Leave the filling to harden.

Place 1 chocolate-coated meringue on a plate and top with about one-third of cream and raspberries. Gently place the second chocolate-coated meringue on top and spread with half the remaining cream and raspberries

Place the last meringue on the top and decorate with the remaing cream and raspberries. Drizzle a little melted chocolate over the top and serve.

Many a moon ago someone told me, nine out of ten people like chocolate, the tenth one is a liar. I’m starting to believe that may just be the case…